Venezuelan opposition rejects dialogue with government

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuela's opposition refused Wednesday to take part in talks that were called by the government in a bid to halt three weeks of protests that have left 14 dead.

"We will not lend ourselves to a sham dialogue that would end in a mockery of our compatriots," the opposition coalition MUD said in a letter to Vice President Jorge Arreaza.

President Nicolas Maduro had called a "national peace conference" for later in the day, but so far only the country's leading business federation and Venezuela's Roman Catholic church have confirmed they would attend.

The opposition's main leader Henrique Capriles had earlier said he would not attend, dismissing the talks as a government photo op.